All Right! Fine! I'll Take You! – Yui's Lily Garden – Chapter 2

The ominous ringing of the phone… Is a bit boring, to be honest.

Or, well, it would be if—

"Yui? Is everything all right, sweetie?" Mama asks, her voice sending me into outright panic with the question.

"Yep! Of course! Why wouldn't it be?" … Smooth, Yui. Reaaaaally smooth.

"Because you just answered a regular question like you are a teenager in a sitcom," she answers, her tone almost as dry as one of Hikky's… Never mind.

"… Is it all right if you take out Sable tonight?" I try to sidestep her by asking the actual question I called her for.

There's a stretched silence, and I start to miss the ringtone.

"So, is it Hikky or Yukinon?"

… I didn't want to tell her over the phone.

"Hikky… did a Hikky thing. He's… out of the picture."

"And…?"

I sigh. Of course I do; he still has that effect on me.

"And Yukinon and I are together now, I guess…"

"Oh," she says, her voice quiet and subdued. There's a bit of silence that's making me even more nervous and— "So… now that he's free, do you think he's into older women?"

"Mama!"

And she laughs.

"Joooooking! Jeez, it's so easy to get you flustered; it's almost a sin not to try."

"I could get used to someone not thinking like that from time to time," I try not to grumble. And fail.

This is a bit surprising, seeing how much practice I have gotten over the past year. At trying, I mean.

"Are you all right? How is Yukinon taking it?" And now she stops kidding around. Maybe because she's already managed to fluster me completely, or maybe because she thinks I'm no longer in a sulky mood. It's hard to tell, sometimes.

I lean on the school corridor's wall, my left shoulder touching the frame of the toilet's door to which my new girlfriend has fled to… To do something. Something that she needs to do without me hugging her close as she shakes and—

"I don't know," I answer both questions, "it's all so… so recent. Raw."

"Yes, I can only guess."

I chuckle at her words, at the caring, somewhat lost tone.

"Aren't you supposed to give me some experienced, sage advice?"

"Well, I would lean toward 'use protection,' but I guess that's not—"

"Mama!"

"Be yourself, Yui. That's how you got them to love you."

"Just the one…"

"No man alive would renounce two beautiful young women like you two and set them up with each other if he didn't feel something for them."

"I… I didn't say he did—"

"You said he did a 'Hikky thing.' I know what that means, after having heard you gush and complain about him for a whole year."

I swallow. Close my eyes. Lean my head back, letting the cool plaster soothe me through my hair.

"Then… Then why did he… Why didn't he…"

"… I don't know, sweetie. I really can't know. But you are loved. Cherished. And not just by this lonely, old—"

"You aren't old!"

"I can fool myself, but there's no fooling the fact I have a beautiful daughter who already has a girlfriend of her own."

"Mama, you are a beautiful woman, and… and… Gah! Don't make me say this! You know how men look at you!"

"And quite a few women," she says impishly.

…

"One of these days, I'm not going to get tricked by you."

"I look forward to it. I expect it will be around the time you have a kid of your own."

Aaaaaand now my face's burning.

"Grandkids aren't that likely, with the way things stand…" I try to push past the choking shame and sudden anxiety.

"There are always options," she almost singsongs.

…

"Mama, can you walk Sable tonight?"

"Well, if you're going to be working on the mother of my future grandkids—"

"Great! Thank you! See you tomorrow!"

"Are you trying to hang up on me, young lady—"

And I hang up on her.

Then take a few deep breaths. Because terrible amounts of shame seem enough to get me out of any sulking mood, but they have the slight disadvantage of, you know, leaving me feeling horrifyingly embarrassed.

There's the muffled sound of running water, and, after it stops, Yukinon walks out of the toilet. Composed, almost regal. Until she meets my eyes and her own almost shiver.

Shyly, slowly, she approaches me, looking from my blushing cheeks to my eyes, until the taller girl is standing right in front of me.

"Are you…" she hesitates. Again. I can see her right hand twitch as if she wants to reach to me but doesn't think it's a good idea.

I grab her hand, and the mask of composure shatters as she blushes once again.

…

… I'm pretty sure I was about to do something, but I just can't remember what it was.

Yukinon looks at our joined hands, and a soft smile blooms on her lips.

Holding my breath, I raise our hands to my lips and kiss her knuckles. She's staring at me.

I take a step forward. Our chests brush against one another, and a thrill runs from my breasts to right below my navel as I try to remember what it is that I was supposed to do.

… Ah. Breathing, I guess.

"Yuiga—"

I kiss her lips. Just a soft brush, just… a reminder.

"Yui. Call me Yui."

Her eyes widen, her blush deepens.

"Must you always remind me like this?" she finally says. Except the tone is not at all what should come out with those words.

Without letting her hand go, I cradle her cheek and raise her head so I can look into that beautiful blue, that ice melting at the coming of spring.

"Yes," I finally answer, my own cheeks almost hurting with how wide my grin is.

I… may also be blushing, if the tingling heat is any indication.

"Even in public—"

"You'd better not forget, then. Right?" And I do that smile that is… a bit like Iroha's. She's far too expressive for me not to pick some things up. But mine is warmer and softer.

Mostly because of them.

"I… Would you really?"

"Kiss you in public?" She nods. "Yes. Yes, I would. Unless you didn't want me to."

And she hesitates.

I… If I was Hikky, I would understand this silence, the way her eyes stray from mine. I would know what Yukinon is thinking, because they were always far too alike, their differences only highlighting it.

I am… not him.

But he's entrusted her to me. It's my duty, aside from everything else it is.

So, what can I do with a shy, silent Yukinon who refuses to meet my eyes after telling her I won't kiss her if she doesn't want me to?

Oh.

Of course.

They always have to complicate things, don't they?

"Yukinon," I whisper, getting even closer, my chest flattening against her and my lips almost brushing hers. "You can refuse. Always. I won't take it the wrong way."

"What is the wrong way?" and she sounds so lost…

"I… You can say what you feel like in one moment. I won't think it's how you always feel. You're allowed not to want things and then want them. It's… Like, if I'm on a diet, and I really, really want that piece of strawberry cake on the bakery that they always put right in the middle of the storefront, but I decide not to buy it, because I'm, for once, sticking to the diet, and then I go walk Sable and think that, after all, I'm already getting enough exercise and—why are you laughing?"

She's doing that cute thing she does, covering her lips with her bent pointer finger, her shoulders shaking with a laugh that's far too quiet for so much movement, and her body rubs against mine, and—

"You are incredible… Yui," she says. And her smile is so… so…

I wrap my free arm around her waist and turn her around, pushing her against the wall next to the toilet's door right as I lean up and mash my lips against hers. Her mouth opens to let out a small, surprised noise, and then I shove my tongue inside it, something about the laugh and then the cute yelp just making my head feel all fuzzy.

My hand travels up, right between her shoulder blades, and her back arches as I press her against me, her breasts—soft! Why are they so soft even through both our bras?! Why does she smell so good, why does her saliva taste so sweet, why do those adorable little gasps make me… make me…

I force myself to lean back, and the thread of spit connecting our lips almost makes me lose it again right after I do. Yukinon's eyes are glazed, her panting, adorable—

My fingers interlock with hers, and I push her hand against the wall right beside her face as I take her lips once again. Because she's mine, mine, and I'm tired of letting my things go, so I'm going to make sure she knows, she remembers. I'll brand her soul if I have to, I'll make her knees wobble, her head slide down the wall until she's beneath me, and it's her that's craning her neck up to keep receiving my kiss and—

Uh. Right. We are in public.

Yukinon is looking up at me with so much bewilderment it's like she's been trying to read Mr. Chuuni's novel once again.

"I… I remembered to call you Yui," she protests.

Oh. Right. That.

"And now you won't forget, will you?" I say, my tone about as steady as I can make it.

Without taking her eyes off me, and maybe a little cautiously, Yukinon shakes her head.

… Unfair.

I lean down, and it takes us a few minutes to get out of school.

o - O - o

Her hands shake as she takes the keys to her apartment building out of her bag.

I… I would like to think it's because of the cold, but…

"Hey," I almost whisper, because my voice gets caught in my throat. Maybe my voice is smarter than me—it wouldn't even surprise me, at this point. "You… What I said before…"

Yukinon turns toward me, her keys still clutched in her hand.

"I meant it, Yukinon. I really did."

I look at her, hoping for a small nod, a confirmation that—

"What are you talking about?" she asks cautiously

… Really. Really. I had to fall for the densest girl on the planet, didn't I? I really do have a type.

"What I said to you. Earlier. After you left the toilet." Come on!

"I… To call you… Yui?" she says, almost hopefully, as if she's just gotten a test question right.

I smack my face, then I feel bad about it. It's not her fault she's been… well, I don't really know (yet) what she's been through, but I can only guess she never had a Mama who made fun of her for being bi.

Or, if she has, that it wouldn't be a joke I could laugh at.

"About wanting things. I thought you wouldn't want to be alone today, not after… you know. But if you don't want me here—"

She clutches my sleeve.

Just… just pinches It, but her hand is trembling, and the tips of her fingers are yellow with pressure.

"Stay," she whispers.

I step forward, cup her cheek once again, and look into cracking ice.

"Always."

And I kiss her.

We manage to get into the elevator without separating our lips, but it is awkward at times. Still, I always thought kissing one of them would be anything but smooth sailing until we got quite a bit of practice, and…

Well. I'm trying.

Trying so hard, in fact, that we stay inside the elevator for quite a while after the doors open, Yukinon pressed into the corner so she has nothing but me in front of her, and she mewls into my mouth when I discover how much she likes it when I hold her head between both my hands, the tips of my thumbs resting at a spot right behind her jaw and below her ear, my fingers spreading up through her hair…

Until the door starts closing and I panic at somebody catching us like this, so I grab her arm and pull her out.

We stay there, in front of her door, looking at each other's disheveled selves, and…

I burst out laughing.

Thankfully, she does as well.

It's still that reserved, little thing that has so little in common with my own belly-shaking laughter, but I'm so relieved she can join me in this, that she feels she can…

Right. I have a girlfriend now. No time to get mopey.

I take her hand as we come down from the outburst and smile at her. Not… I'm not trying to be reassuring, because I know how exhausting it can be when people keep trying and just make you anxious that you are failing them just by not being all right, but… Well.

I'm here.

With her.

That should be enough, shouldn't it?

She takes her keys once more and, a little nervous, squeezes my fingers before putting it in the lock, turning it, and—

Wait. Wait, wait, wait!

I'm about to spend the night at my girlfriend's house!

Alone!

Is she—does she want me to—can I?!

Should I?!

Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

I'm not ready—well, that's a lie, I've been ready for quite a while now, but maybe she isn't, and it would be awful if I pushed her when she's just gone through this whole day but if she expects me to do something and I don't then she will feel rejected and that's the last thing I—

Oh, right. Haruno is here.

… Why is she crying?

o - O - o

It… It takes a while for Yukinon's sister to calm down enough that we can get her to bed, and now…

I always sleep in Yukinon's room when I stay over. We just lay a futon down on the floor and keep talking until we get sleepy and call it a night.

I usually bring my pajamas, though…

And Yukinon really, really isn't my size.

Which means these pants are quite a bit tighter than I expected, and the shirt is leaving half my belly bare, stretched out with my… Well. Those things Hikky keeps staring at when he thinks I'm not looking.

Or when he can't stop himself.

… Creepy. He's always been too creepy. Or gross, according to his sister.

But, well, that isn't what is making me fret while sitting on Yukinon's bed and trying to pull down the hem of this grey pajama shirt that's making me look like I'm getting ready for a questionable photoshoot rather than for going to bed on the futon I've already laid out.

No, that has more to do with Haruno being… Well. Un-Haruno.

I don't like her. Not after all the times she's sniped at Yukinon, all the times she's had that smile of hers turn just shy of being cruel, but… People are complicated.

I've met their mother. I know Yukinon wants to be like her sister. I know her sister wants Yukinon to be herself.

And I think I agree.

So maybe I can learn to—

'You two are adorable together.'

Aaaaaaahhhh!

She's not even in the room, and she's making me flustered!

'You are so much better at being loved, Yukino…'

… And now I feel sad for her.

What is up with this whole family? I'm the one raised by a single mother; shouldn't I be the emotionally neglected one?

(Sorry, Mama. It's just the stereotype. You are wonderful, and I'd never trade you for anything—especially after seeing the results.)

But I… If somebody as smart as Haruno, someone who looks like what Hikky would be if he stopped caring about the few things that he still manages not to compromise on, can be so lost, so bad at knowing what to do with Yukinon and how to handle their shared trauma…

Then what am I supposed to do?

The door to Yukinon's room opens, and she enters, looking almost as lost as when Hikky made us kiss.

… Right. At least there's something I can do.

I stand up and walk to her and try not to look too pleased when her eyes shoot right toward the line of exposed belly the loaned pajamas flash her.

Then I hug her and drag her to sit on the bed.

"How is she?" I murmur in her ear, petting her long hair with slow, long strokes.

And she hugs me back.

"I—I don't know. She's always been—she's never before…"

I lean back, and her eyes look to mine in search of… something she just lost. Some reassurance that the world will keep on turning.

I don't think I can give that back to her, but I can…

"You do realize she's been almost as hurt as you, don't you?"

Yukinon freezes. That… might not have been the right thing to say.

But I said it, so I'd better keep pushing.

"You… You are sisters. Everything you have gone through, she went through before you. If anything, she may have had it worse as your parents learned with her."

There's… anger in her eyes.

I don't like it.

"Yuigahama," I want to correct her, but… "you don't know what you are talking about."

And she's right. Of course she is.

So now I'm the one who's angry.

"I don't. I don't because you won't tell me! Do you know how much that hurts? Do you know how it feels to be by your side, waiting for you to realize I've been there all along, trying to make things better without pushing you? Trying to understand even with how little you actually tell me? I was your best friend! I am your girlfriend! I love you, and I don't know how they hurt you!"

Her eyes widen, and she starts leaning back, away—

I push her to the bed and clutch her to me.

"I love you," I whisper, my voice a bit raw, a bit raspy. "I've loved you for so long, since the day you told me how terrible my cookies were and then went on to try and teach me how to do better. You don't know how much I kept trying and trying, always remembering how you did it, how you explained, how perfect you were in each and every way. I've loved you so much, and just now I realize how much more I can love you, how much more I could admire the incredible girl in front of me if only you let me see more of you. I… I want to help you, to hold you, to be safe for you, but I… First I just want to know you, Yukinon. To know more."

"You are wrong… If you knew more, I just—I am a mess, Yui, I am such an awful, terrible—"

I shift on the bed until my face is right above hers, our noses almost touching.

"You are. We all are. You are special, Yukinon, but not in that way."

She looks up, uncomprehendingly, almost like I do when she tries to tutor me (except with less hidden yearnings that I no longer have to hide).

"Haruno is broken. Hikky is broken. Ms. Hiratsuka is broken. Heck, Mr. Chuuni's definitely broken. I… I know you've been hurt, and I don't want to make you feel like that's not important, but I also don't want you to think that's too important. I want… I want you to be… I just want you to see yourself a bit more like I do, I guess? Because… Because if you just…"

All right, looking up at me with those eyes is just not fair.

Trying to be gentle rather than passionate, I kiss the tip of her nose.

Then I get up.

And, holding back a sigh, get inside the futon that I'm pretty sure nobody else has ever slept in.

"Yui?" Her voice is… disoriented. But not hurt.

"I'm trying to be patient and give you space." Mine is definitely holding back something.

Pent-up lust, frustration, longing, … take your pick.

She lies back, silent, for a moment.

Then I hear the rustling of clothes, and I remember she still had to change into her pajamas.

Holding back (again!) a frustrated moan, I close my eyes and try to think unsexy thoughts. I don't quite manage.

And, finally, I hear her getting in bed, and my torture ends.

When I open my eyes, she's on her side, looking down at me, and she has that soft, barely-there smile that makes it even harder not to think about getting up and—

She takes an arm out of the sheets and dangles it over the edge.

I look at her, and her cheeks tinge with the prettiest pink I've ever seen.

She's still smiling.

And so, I take her hand and keep smiling at her, feeling her, until my eyes finally drift close after the most exhausting day I ever remember.

o - O - o

When I wake up, my first thought is that Sable definitely needs to learn to let me sleep in.

My second thought is that Sable isn't taller than me, and the last time he got between the sheets was when he was a puppy and got terrified by the fireworks.

My third is to stop being an idiot and open my eyes.

There's no fourth, because seeing Yukinon's sleeping face right next to mine kinda makes my brain crash.

…

If I was Iroha, I would be taking pictures.

o - o - O - o – o

This work is a repost of the first spin-off of the Cakeverse. The whole verse can be found on QQ ( forum .questio nablequesting threads/ all-right-fine-ill-take-you-oregairu.15676/), or up to date on my Patr eon (patre on dot com (slash) Agrippa). Unless something drastic happens, it will be updated on Tuesdays and Thursdays until it catches up to the currently written chapters.

Also, I'd like to thank my credited supporters on Patr eon: aj0413, LearningDiscord, Niklarus, Tinkerware, Varosch, and Xalgeon. If you feel like maybe giving me a hand and help me keep writing snarky, maladjusted teenagers and their cake buffets, consider joining them or buying one of my books on amazon dot com (slash) stores/Terry-Lavere/author/B0BL7LSX2S?. Thank you for reading!